


Overheard

by scarecrowstories



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Awkwardness, Crushes, Eavesdropping, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 16:51:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20933546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarecrowstories/pseuds/scarecrowstories
Summary: Barry overhears Taako ask Lup who she has a crush on. She denies having a crush at all.





	Overheard

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to finish all the lil ficlets I have in my WIP list at the moment. This one is courtesy of the fic gachapon game going on in the TFW discord! My prompt was to write about a character overhearing something they shouldn't have!

"So, are you ready to admit your totally-not-obvious crush to your loving brother?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't."

"Shut up, I don't!"

"Yeah, that tracks."

The sounds of an ensuing pillow fight.

Barry just stood there frozen, hand still raised to knock on the door. All he wanted to do was tell them that Magnus had ordered an obscene amount of delivery food from a local joint, and that it was almost here. He didn't mean to overhear any private conversation the twins may have been having, and he definitely didn't mean to let his thoughts get carried away speculating who Lup's supposed crush might be.

…he hoped it was him, but admonished himself for seeming so desperate and foolish. So what if he'd had a crush on her for a decade now? That was his problem. He shouldn't project those feelings onto Lup, even if she did blush and smile in his direction when she thought he wasn't looking (of course he was looking, of course). Even if she did giggle so cutely when he said something funny to try to make her laugh.

Besides, it was probably Magnus or Lucretia. They were both insanely attractive, and if she were going to go for any of their crewmates, Barry figured they made the most sense. He didn't know what her type was, after all. Maybe she liked her men brawny, a tall huggable teddy bear with a heart of gold. Maybe she preferred women, in which case, well it was Lucretia or nobody at this point, but he could see the appeal of the "cute nerd" stereotype. 

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he swallowed hard and knocked on the door, waiting to hear their voices quiet, still laughing as they whacked each other with pillows.

"Come in!" came Lup's singsong voice from within; he opened the door, and couldn't help but notice the momentary shock on her face. Taako grinned wickedly, eyes gleaming with mischief as Lup blushed slightly. "Uh, hey, what's up?"

Barry cleared his throat. "H-hey, Magnus ordered a ton of food from somewhere and it'll be here any minute, if you two wanted take-out. I-I just wanted to extend the offer, sorry, I didn't mean to, uhh, interrupt anything."

"Not at all, Barold, dear," Taako drawled, still smirking. "We'll be right there, 'kay?"

Nodding, Barry was grateful to have the excuse to back away and rush back to the kitchen like he hadn't just been given an unfair jolt of hope. More than anything, though, he felt guilty. The ship wasn't exactly tiny, but it certainly wasn't big enough to grant them the privacy they all would have liked. It was often a struggle to find the balance between personal and shared space, and so Barry tried his best to respect whatever boundaries anybody set. For the most part, they all did.

He could argue that it was harmless to accidentally overhear what he did, given its lack of context and the fact that it wasn't on purpose, but he still felt bad. Lup deserved to feel however she wanted to feel without him analyzing every little word or action. 

Luckily, he made it through dinner without accidentally making it entirely too obvious that he'd overheard something he shouldn't have. 

Unluckily, it was apparently obvious enough to Taako, who cornered him in the hall before he could escape to his room.

"Barry, my dear man, just who I was looking for!"

"Uh, it's not that big a ship, Taako, and we just left the kitchen together," he pointed out.

"Hush." Taako dramatically draped an arm around his shoulder. "Listen, Barold, I have… let's call it a hunch. I have a sneaking suspicion. That you maybe were standing at Lup's door just a few more moments than you let on. Ring a bell?" His wicked grin said it all; there was no getting out of this one.

Barry cleared his throat and resigned himself to tell the truth. But that didn't mean he had to tell the Whole truth, did it? "I-I guess? Look, I heard you two having a pillow fight and didn't wanna interrupt your fun. Okay?" An idea struck him: maybe he could deflect? "What, are you embarrassed that I heard you two having fun? Y'know, I bet if you asked, the others would love to join in on something like that."

But Taako wasn't to be distracted. His expression grew serious. "I think we both know that's not what I meant. You heard me ask Lup a question. Didn't you?"

Fuck. "I also heard her not answer," Barry admitted. "Look, if you're worried that I'm gonna harass her into telling me who it is, I won't. I'm not you."

Placing his free hand over his heart as if hurt, Taako let out a scoff. "You wound me! But also, uh, duh, you're not me. But I think that's exactly why she just might tell you."

"Oh, hahah, I, uhh, I dunno about that," Barry floundered. He finally tugged himself free of Taako's arm, worried that it was about to become obvious that he was sweating anxiously. "Besides, it's not my business. I mean, sure, she's my best friend, but, well, I just, I dunno, I wanna respect her boundaries. If she wants to tell me who it is, she will. R-right?"

At that, Taako stared at him as if sizing him up; Barry's heart pounded harder. Whatever Taako was looking for, he must have found, because a moment later he nodded and turned to walk away.

"W-wait, Taako--"

"No time for that, Barry, I'm a very busy man!" Taako called over his shoulder, rushing off to do who-knew-what and leaving Barry standing alone in the hallway, confused.

He really wished he hadn't overheard whatever that was.

**Author's Note:**

> I really ought to do more ficlets. I love short pieces that are just a single scene. I hope other folks do, too.


End file.
